Charlene Kay Smith Humpherys

Charlene Kay (Smith) Humpherys, passed away peacefully on April 2, 2024 at the age of 84. She was born on September 9, 1939 on a Meridian, Idaho dairy farm (the current site of the Mint Barrel Barn event center) where she spent her childhood years surrounded by the beauty of rural Idaho and attended Lone Tree school. At the age of 9, her family relocated to Crouch, Idaho, where she attended Garden Valley Schools, grew up, and formed more cherished memories.

In Crouch, she married her first husband and welcomed her two beloved sons, Jeff and David. Later, they moved to Boise, where Charlene worked tirelessly to support her family. It was during this time that she exemplified her hard-working spirit, taking on various jobs to make ends meet.

She then met and married Verl Humpherys and they soon welcomed their son Greg in 1964. After moving to San Francisco briefly while Verl attended mortuary college, Charlene and her family finally settled in Mountain Home, Idaho. There, they established the Humpherys Funeral Home and Humpherys Monuments, becoming pillars of the community. Throughout her life, Charlene was known as a generous caregiver, extending her nurturing nature beyond her own family to the neighborhood children, friends of her sons, and the families she served at the funeral home.

In 1987, Charlene built, owned, and operated Cedar Crest Residential Care Center in Mountain Home where she cared for countless individuals with compassion and dedication for nearly 30 years. She later built Grace Elizabeth Independent Living in 2015, continuing caring for residents until her retirement in 2022 at the age of 83. Her commitment to caregiving earned her the respect and admiration of all who knew her. Her professional life culminated in a Lifetime Achievement award from the Mountain Home Chamber of Commerce in 2011.

An entrepreneur at heart, Charlene balanced her professional responsibilities with her passions and hobbies, including sewing, quilting, painting, crafting, and her legendary Christmas decorations. Her festive displays brought joy to Cedar Crest, her other businesses, and her home, reflecting her generous spirit and love for spreading cheer.

In addition to her professional and creative pursuits, Charlene was deeply involved in her community. As president of the Mountain Home Jayceettes and through her numerous civic-minded endeavors, she touched the lives of many and again demonstrated her unwavering commitment to serving others. She appeared in the 1970 edition of Outstanding Young Women of America for her work with the Jayceettes.

Charlene is survived by her two sons, Jeff (Connie) Humpherys and Greg (Stacie) Humpherys, her four cherished siblings, Winfield Kenneth “Junior” Smith, Patricia Combs, Mary Richman, and Sharon De Lanoy, as well as numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her mother Grace Elizabeth (Pfeiffer) Smith; father Winfield Kenneth Smith Sr.; brothers Chester Smith, Gaylor Smith, George Richard Beberness; son David Humpherys; and grandsons Matthew Humpherys and Steven Humpherys.

Her legacy of kindness, hard work, and generosity will continue to inspire all who were fortunate enough to know her, and her presence will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved her.

Her family would like to express their deepest appreciation to the staff of Grace Assisted Living of Caldwell, Cascadia of Nampa, and All Care Hospice for their compassionate and loving care of Charlene especially in her last months, weeks, and days.

In remembrance of Charlene’s life, the family asks that any charitable donations be made to the Mountain Home Fire Department.

A graveside service will be held at 11:00 am, on Wednesday, April 10, 2024, at Kohlerlawn Cemetery, 76 6th St. N. in Nampa.

To attend the service virtually, please visit Charlene’s memorial webpage at www.bowmanfuneral.com